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Archive for category NAWAZ SHARIF’S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN

The old tottering, the new struggling to be born by Ayaz Amir


Islamabad diary: Friday, October 10, 2014 

The old tottering, the new struggling to be born

Ayaz Amir

 

 

 

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Sounds a bit dramatic, the title, doesn’t it? But I get the feeling that hesitantly, without most of us fully realising it, a new history is being written. A country knowing nothing but frustration for long gives the impression of finally turning in its sleep.

For many this is a heady feeling. You can see this in the dharnas. For the status quo classes hiding behind the slogan of democracy this is an alarming development. They don’t seem to have an answer to the questions being raised about the dead politics they represent.

The two leading champions of the traditional politics seem like two faces of the same currency. For all practical purposes, there is little to distinguish the PML-N and the PPP except geography. The former is mainly interested in preserving its fiefdom in Punjab, the latter in Sindh, both under attack from Imran Khan. In some ways this is divine retribution: the Sharifs and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari supping at the same table. The jaundiced observer would say they deserve each other.

Bilawal says Imran Khan should learn politics from the Bhuttos. This is not without its share of humour. At what his successors have made of the PPP, a cousin or B Team of the PML-N, Bhutto would be turning in his grave. Even the blessed of short memory cannot easily forget that the most finished, most advanced product, to come out of Gen Ziaul Haq’s political engineering machine, with which he sought to cleanse Pakistan’s political stables and put the country on the path of righteousness, were the Sharifs.

The old politics is dying because it is past its sell-by date. It is not addressing the concerns of the people. And because Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri are talking of the injustices and iniquities of the prevailing socio-economic and political order people are listening to them. This is evident in the huge rallies Imran is addressing. The status quo parties can’t make out what’s happening. All they have at their service are clichés about democracy and the constitution. Because they are hollow they don’t make much of an impression.

Democracy was not threatened by the dharnas. It was the old way politics under attack. This entire agitation has stirred both the middle classes which hitherto kept themselves aloof from politics, and the young and rootless who see no future for themselves in the prevailing system. In a matter of weeks the old shibboleths stand discredited, as people asks questions they never had a chance to ask before.

The anti-Ayub agitation of Oct ’68-Mar ‘69 put paid to the controlled ‘democracy’ associated with Ayub Khan’s rule. The anti-Bhutto agitation of 1977 swept aside Bhutto’s populist rule and paved the way for Gen Zia’s military rule and all that he did in the name of Islam. At another of those turning points which take history down a new path, Imran Khan and Qadri, for the most part unwittingly, are becoming the instruments of a new consciousness.

I say unwittingly for when they set out on their separate marches from Lahore they could have had no idea how it would all turn out in six weeks or two months. Their good luck, and the nation’s, was that despite the visible meltdown of federal authority, when power was there for the taking, the army held its hand. A military intervention would have been a godsend for the Sharifs, bestowing on them again, as in 1999, the halo of martyrdom…their shortcomings forgotten.

But when it all looked hopeless for Khan and Qadri, against the odds, against all the dictates of seeming wisdom, they stuck to their guns and turned what looked like certain defeat to the triumph – in the form of the turning of the tide – they are now experiencing. At journey’s beginning Khan was not the all-conquering hero he now appears to be, his march not very impressive when he set out from Lahore. Qadri had the advantage in numbers and organisation.

Behold then the power of determination. Through biting sun and drenching rain the two stuck it out, when lesser men would have given up. How foolish they looked in the beginning, atop their containers, haranguing their followers. What nicknames did they not earn, what ridicule was not heaped on them not least by the punditocracy.

It was not the fault of the pundits. They were in their ivory towers. Imran and Qadri were closer to the pulse and mood of the people. It’s always like this. In the anti-Ayub agitation most of the pundits were on one side, Bhutto on the other. In this narrow sense at least we are seeing history repeating itself.

What happens next, whether the paralysis of government we see now will last indefinitely or premature elections put the Sharifs out of their misery, are matters of detail. The important thing is (1) that the dispensation of the Sharifs stands denuded of authority, the moral right to govern; and (2) it is possible to feel a new mood in the country, one compounded not of cynicism and frustration but hope and enthusiasm. Despite the pundits, the broad reach of television – this a military dictator’s gift, let us never forget – is proving to be another agent of change. Elections may still be stolen. But it won’t be this easy.

Every pantomime has its day. If the finished products of the Zia era were good at anything it was the art of stolen elections. They had some very good tutors and army and ISI then marched to a different tune. The enemy then was the PPP and the good guys were the windbags and toadies of the right put together under the umbrella of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad by the ISI…and such consummate masters of the political game as my friend Lt Gen Hamid Gul. The popular response to the dharnas, and the public attendance at Khan’s rallies, suggest that the curtains may finally be coming down on this long-standing drama.

The tide when it turns carries all before it. Hitherto unassailable symbols of authority lose their shine; seemingly impregnable walls totter. This is happening with the Sharifs, nothing working right for them, and their authority down to zero.

Imran and Qadri have even changed the discourse of politics. The cry of democracy in danger no longer cuts much ice. Sharif keeps harping on the theme of protecting the constitution. Zardari says he is defending the ‘system’. People are more focused on the corruption and misrule of the political elite, which both the PML-N and the PPP exemplify.

People are just tired of the old faces, as they were tired of Ayub and Zia and Musharraf. In Britain they were tired of Mrs Thatcher in the end and of Tony Blair too when he had been around for too long. There’s just so much the human stomach can stand. The Sharifs have been around for over 30 years.

Does anyone think that people are so dumb that they can’t make out the difference between a more confident India under Narendra Modi and Pakistan under a bumbling dispensation? Does anyone think they have missed noting the difference between Modi’s visit to the United States and our performance there?

Why are people responding to Imran? Not just because of inflated electricity bills but because they want to see strong hands on deck, a leadership of which they can be proud, not a leadership fidgeting with nervousness in front of the likes of President Obama.

Two slogans for the sentiment they captured stand out in our history: the call for Pakistan in 1946-47 and ‘roti, kapra and makan’ in 1970. Now comes a third to rank with them: “Go Nawaz Go”. It has caught the spirit of the times.

Email: [email protected]

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The Shows goes on. By Mahfooz ur Rahman

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The Shows goes on.

“ As flies to wanton boys are to the gods

They kill us for sport .” Shakespeare’s “ King Lear  “

Mahfooz ur Rahman

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing on Pakistan’s politics is beginning to be a tedious affair . It is a play that has no plot , no beginning and no end . No excitement from the drab and dreary humdrum of everyday life . Winning or losing , the same old , tired and worn out faces are to be seen adorning the newspapers or the TV Channels . Even the daily newspapers are pictures of the gloomy atmosphere .

Each political party is a fiefdom of its own where the fiat of big or petty  ‘monarch’  is abided by or else the defiant ones are crushed . There is no notion of shadow governments or shadow  cabinets . That is a play that is going on since Mr. Jinnah departed from the scene in 1948 . Talking about reforms is an illusion .    

Imagine a scene in which you are trying to sleep during the day and a bird flits and begins to sing . Whatever you  do to make it fly away turns out to be  futile . You are really mad at the innocent creature . The world is seeing the discomfiture of the present Government . It is standing static unable to drive the ghosts of Imran Khan and Taher ul Qadri . It has been reduce to a passive mode , a reaction mode . Meanwhile the two are making further inroads into the interior of the country , into the cities and into various communities or eg . farmers , workers none the less  equipped legally to which the Government has no answer except to hurl abuses at them .

“ Never trust the wisdom of a slave “ is an oft quoted advice perhaps by Hazrat Ali ( May Allah be pleased with him) . Here I reproduce an incident  about which I wrote in my article “ Buttering “  . In a meeting held in Islamabad , a participant referred to the department’s newly announced policy and also to the Battle of Badr ,which was fought on 17th Ramazan and in which the Muslims were victorious by the Grace of Allah . He said , addressing the boss ,that the Battle of Badr was fought on 17thRamazan and he( the boss)  announced the country’s policy on 17th Ramazan . All the participants were dumbfounded at his audacity .

Thus Pakistan has been caught at a vortex . Democracy  in its present shape has failed in Pakistan . It has never delivered however its supporters otherwise  claim . It suits the robber barons , the landed aristocracy, the major and small capitalists who  plunder  the exchequer and exploit the under privileged ones . There was a time when twenty two families used to hold sway in the country . The twenty two have swelled to much more .   

During my four months stay in an European city  forty years back, a man who had features like a Pakistani or an Indian , used to cross my path both mornings and evenings . One day , I stopped him to question about his nationality . His reply “ does it matter “ put me off . He repeated his observation and went on to say that when the purpose of making Pakistan could not be fulfilled , it did not matter whether I was  a Pakistani or an Indian .

A solid advantage has been achieved  by the fifty two day sit in  by  the duo of Imran Khan and Taher ul Qadri . Apart from being unique in the 67 years history of Pakistan and , perhaps the world over  , the rest of the major political parties were clean bowled , the batsmen could only gape in awe . Never in the history of this unfortunate land , they met their equals who badly exposed them  ,  disrobed them and shown the rest of the people what they actually were by using the facilities of telecasting their views  provided by an army general , Pervez  Musharraf . They robbed the common people of their Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution . You may not like Imran Khan and Dr. Qadri  . But it is difficult to disagree whatever they had to say because both Imran and Dr. Qadri were speaking of the basic  rights and the   Constitution . And it was last year when the latter held a five day sit in in Islamabad to emphasize the futility of participating in the elections unless all candidates were screened through Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution .      

The ‘independent’ Election Commission of Pakistan has lost its trust from the rigged elections between Field Marshal Ayub Khan , the President ,and Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah , the sister of the Founder of Pakistan and  onwards . Henceforth , it was viewed as another arm of the Government . The 18th Amendment to the Constitution did not remove the impression . On the contrary , the reconstituted Commission was viewed as a part of the Charter of Democracy signed by Mrs . Benazir Bhutto , the leader of the Peoples Party , and Mian Nawaz Sharif , the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League in London during the “ oppressive days  of the dictator , General Musharraf“ .

Where do we go now ?

Both the Government and the people are confused and lacking in direction . We are rotten to the core horizontally and vertically ie from the top to the bottom .  Army intervention is not a permanent solution as we have seen in the past .  It breeds many evils for eg. flight of capital . Even then some well meaning people are suggesting a government of the Technocrats under the army’s umbrella  to replace the current government  and cleanse the  entire society . This experiment has been tried by every military regime .  Ayub Khan screened out 72 bureaucrats , General Yahya Khan 303 and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto 1300 . Some of the screened out officers were not corrupt . To cleanse the society of ills , the Hadood Ordinance was introduced but  never used after General Zia , the President , died . 

There is talk of mid term polls in the country .   The present government is unwilling to resign and call for fresh elections . However , if it does , which Election Commission would be willing to undertake the task when the present one  failed to hold free and fair elections the task of that Statutory organization . In its “ Post Election Review Report on General Elections 2013 “ , the Commission admitted its failure .

Under the 18th Amendment , the leader of the House  i.e. the Prime Minister , and the leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly are supposed to choose of the Chairman of the Election Commission . But the experiment failed  in the previous elections and with both the leader of  the House and the leader of the opposition under clouds . Both Imran Khan and Dr. Qadri and their supporters  will no longer trust them .

 Pakistan is ripe for  constitutional ( Fundamental Rights and Articles 62 and 63 ) and social reforms without which any elections will be meaningless .

In the end I will reproduce the views of Mr . Mumtaz Piracha of the Good Governance Forum  

“ Contrary to general perception, I believe the long march and the dharna by PTI, in particular, highlighted bad governance in Pakistan. Look at the foreign media and you will find that there is only passing reference to rigging allegations and the allegation on military to have backed Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri but there is tremendous focus on the way Nawaz Sharif governs, the Sharifs’ dynastic politics and the PMLN’s performance since last elections. The domestic media have been more focused on rigging allegations but bad governance also remained in focus “.

 Mahfooz ur Rahman

Islamabad

October 5, 2014

 

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TORPEDO ; GOING TO HIT THE SHARIF GOVT . BEWARE

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TORPEDO ; GOING  TO  HIT  THE  SHARIF GOVT . BEWARE


IMF VISIT TO DISCUSS NEXT TRANCHE OF LOAN CANCELLED; 90% OF EX PATS DECIDE TO STOP REMITTANCES (ABOUT $15 BILLION REMITTED ANNUALLY).

Imran Khan’s Masterclass Against Nawaz Sharif That The Entire Nation Failed To Understand:

As soon as Imran Khan announced his Civil Disobedience movement the entire opposition and twitterati erupted into a tirade of jokes asking questions such as, how would PTI supporters not pay GST on milk, bread and other groceries. Or that if they wont pay the utility bills the utility services would be disconnected and so on.

However, none of these so-called intellectuals were able to understand that what this Civil Disobedience movement is aiming to do is declare Nawaz regime a dictatorial regime and hence render all foreign debts that the regime would contract as unenforceable. As, I have already explained that a debt becomes illegitimate if a) the regime that contracts it is despotic and/or dictatorial and b) it was not spent on the betterment of the nation.

The entire long march is based on the premise that Nawaz Sharif and his party rigged the 2013 General elections and hence the regime is dictatorial and illegitimate. Before announcing the Civil Disobedience movement Imran Khan went into elaborate details of how the Sharif has previously used foreign debt to fill his coffers. What Imran was trying to do here was to establish a case that the foreign debts which this regime would incur would not be spent on the nation but would rather be laundered out of the country to power the business of the Sharif dynasty.

In simpler words Imran has told the entire world and specially the foreign lenders aka  (IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank) that any loans incurred by the Sharif regime would not be enforceable on the future governments of Pakistan. To make it abundantly clear to our intellectual elite, Imran is telling the foreign lenders that if he ever came to power, he wont pay back the loans that the Sharif regime would borrow. This means that the foreign lenders has only one option left before them and that is to decline all future loans to the Sharif regime. Since, the Sharif regime relies heavily on foreign lending to finance its budget, the move would cripple the government and will bring it down to its knees without any bloodletting on the streets.

I once read a quotation that Brilliance hits a target that no one can hit, Genius hits a target that no one can see.

Imran’s masterstroke against Sharif is such an act of genius that the entire nation is unable to see the target that it has hit. All that PTI and its horde of social media jihadi’s now need to do is explain this to the entire nation that:

Since, we consider the Sharif regime as illegitimate, all foreign debts that it would incur would be illegitimate odious debt and hence would not be paid by the future Pakistani governments.

Imran Khan himself needs to do a better job and explain this to the foreign lenders that since the Sharifs always loot and plunder these loans for their personal gains, future PTI/Pakistani government would consider the foreign loans received by the Sharif regime as illegitimate. Once this is made abundantly clear to both the national and international audiences, it does not matter an iota if the civil disobedience movement fails to reduce the amount of taxes collected at the National level..

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PAKISTANIS ARE MAD AS HELL AND WILL NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE!Thoughts of a Common Pakistani —– LUTAIRAY PARLIAMENTARIANS versus QAUMI CRUSADERS

Thoughts of a Common Pakistani —– LUTAIRAY PARLIAMENTARIANS versus QAUMI CRUSADERS

DONT TEST PAKISTANIS ANGER.THEY WILL WIPE WADERA, INDUSTRIALIST,JAGIRDAR, ELITE CULTURE OUT!

 

 

 

 

Mad-As-Hell

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Subject: RE: A LAWYER PLEADING THAT HIS CLIENT IS A PIR & GADDI NASHIN AND SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN ORDINARY PEOPLE
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2014 18:39:44 +0500

 
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT DURING LAWYERS MOVEMENT  AITEZAZ  AHSAN (AA)  WAS THE CONDUIT FOR PASSING PML-N  &  PPP MONEY  TO PROMINENT LAWYERS TO FUEL THE LAWYERS MOVEMENT  AGAINST GEN. MUSHARRAF
 
ALSO PEOPLE IN MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & OGRA KNOW  HOW HE MANOUVERED BEHIND THE SCENE TO OBTAIN CNG STATION LICENCES FOR HIS WIFE B A 
 
ISS HAMMAM MEIN SUB NANGEY HAIN.  INKO ISI HALAT ME HAMMAM SE BAHAR PHEK DENA CHAHIYE TA KE QAUM KO PATA CHALE KE ASSEMBLIYON MEN KAISE BARE BARE  DAAKOO BAITHEY  HAIN  JINHO NE AWAM KE LIYE KUCH NA KIYA  AUR UNKI ZINDAGI  MEHNGAI OR LOAD SHEDDING KE AZAAB MEN DUBO DI  MAGAR KHUD  LAKHPATI SE CROREPATI  AUR CROREPATI SE ARAB PATI AUR ARAB PATI SE KHHARAB PATI  BAN GAYE
 
PURI QAUM KO SAAT SALAAM KARNE CHAHIYE UNN HEROES  AUR CRUSADERS KO  JIN MEIN SARE-FEHRIST ALLAMA TAHIR UL QADRI , IMRAN KHAN(I.K)  , SH  RASHEED , CHAUDHRY BROTHERS AUR WAHDATUL MUSLAMEEN AUR SUNNI TEHREEK KE 
ZOMA AKABREEN  AUR UN HAZARON KI TAADAD ME USOOL PARAST  INSAF PASAND AUR SACHAI KE ALAMBARDARON KO JO ISLAMABAD KE ALAWA MUKHTALIF SHEHRON ME POORI ISTEQAMAT SE NAYA PAKISTAN KI AMLI JADO JEHAD MEN MASROOF HAIN  
 
YAHAN UN BEBAAK AUR NIDR  CHANNELS KO BHI QAUM KO SALAM KARNA CHAHIYE JINKE BAHADUR AUR SACHAI PARAST ANCHORS AUR TAJZIYA NIGARON NE QAUM KE SAMNE DAKOOWON AUR LUTERON KE ASAL CHEHRE BE NAQAB KAR DIYE AUR QAUM KO INKE MAKROH AUR GHINAWANEN CHEHRE DEKH KAR NAFRAT MEHSOOS HOTI HAE  AUR ANDAR HI ANDAR INTIQAM KI AAG LAGTI HAE KE IN QAUMI DAULAT KO LOOTNE WALON SE EK EK PAYI KA HISAB LIYA JAE.
EK AUR  SHARMNAAK  CHEEZ INN POLITICIANS KE KHAATE MEIN ADD HOYI. .AAJ KE DAWN KE MUTABIQ  TAMAAM ARKAAN QAUMI  SUBAYI ASSEMBLIYON AUR SENATE KE ARKAAN KE LIYE APNE ASSET STATEMENTS ELECTION COMMISSION MEIN JAMAA KARANE KI TARIKH 30 SEPT  2014  THEE  MAGAR INN “RULE OF LAW” AUR SO CALLED DEMOCRACY KE  GALAA PHAARH PHAARH KAR NAARAY  LAGAANE  WALON  KI AKSARYAT NE GOSHWAARE NAHIN JAMA’A KARAYE   JIS MULK KE QANOON SAAZ  KHUD QANOON SHIKAN BAN JAYEN US MULK ME KHUNI INQILAB NAHI AAEGA TO PHIR KYA  SAWAN KI BARSAAT AAEYE GI?
 
JIN LOGON KA MEIN NE SHURU MEN NAAM LIYA UNKI  JADD-O-JEHAD AUR JAANI AUR MAALI QURBANI KI  BA DAULAT AAJ QAUM JAAG GAEE HAI AUR WO WAQT ZAADA DOOR NAHIN JAB QAUM KE SAAF SUTHRE HAQ AUR INSAF KE MATWAALAY IN DAAKUON AUR CHORON KO ROAD PAR UTAR KAR KHUD INKS EHTESAB KAREN GI  YAAD RAKHEN AISA EHTESAB SIRF POLITICIANS KA NAHIN HO GA BALKE BUREAUCRACY AUR POLICE  FIA NAB AUR JUDICIARY KE CORRUPT AUR LUTERE  AHLKARON KA BHI HOGA   YAAD RAKHEN   YE LOG GHAROON SE NIKALNA CHOR DENGE JIS TARA REHMAN MALIK AUR MUKESH KUMAR PLANE SE JAAN BACHA KAR BHAGE THAY. USI TARA JAESE  ATHAR RASHID LAHORE AIRPORT SE BHAGE THAY   USI TARAH JAISE  N .S  UN ASSEMBLY AUR SAILABI DAURON SE BHAGE THAY
 
ZAALIMO,  LUTERO  DAAKOOO—- QAUM KE PAISE SE AYAASHIAN KARNE WALO US$ 8,000 PER ROOM PER NIGHT FOR PM’s ENTOURAGE PAID BY NATION OF POOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOCKED  WHOSE LIVELIHOOD HAS BEEN MADE MISERABLE BY QAUMI LUTERAAS. AB BHI AKHRI CHANCE HAE KE  NAWISHTA- E- DIWAR PARH LO AUR APNE GHALAT AAMAL AUR GUNAHON KI SACHE DIL SE ALLAH SWT AUR QAUM SE MAAFI MANG LO WARNA ANJAAM BOHAT BHIYANAK AUR KHONI NAZAR AA RAHA HAE  
 
SUCH  ZINDA BAD,  MERIT ZINDABAD,  INSAAF ZINDABAD , 
ALLAMA TUQ & ALLIES & SUPPORTERS ZINDABAD  
I K & ALLIES  &  SUPPORTERS ZINDABAD  
NAYA PAKISTAN ZINDABAD   
JAAGI HUWI QAUM ZINDABAD
VALIANT   BRAVE & HIGHLY PATRIOTIC ARMED FORCES OF PAKISTAN – “PAKISTAN KI SHAN” ZINDABAD
 
P  A  K  I   S  T   A  N               P    A    I   N    D   A   B   A   D 

From: [email protected]

Shameful

But who says AA is an honorable man?

 

 

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Asghar Ali <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 12:07 AM
Subject: A LAWYER PLEADING THAT HIS CLIENT IS A PIR & GADDI NASHIN AND SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN ORDINARY PEOPLE
To:  

The biggest bain of Pakistan today is a thoroughly irresponsive and virtually meaningless judicial system. 

The superior judiciary particularly many Supreme and High Court judge is corrupt through and through. M There are instances of private corporations purchasing high court judges in order to themselves personally write verbatim court judgements. 

The contents of the present Constitution and existing laws of Pakistan stand for zilch. All their articles and laws without a single exception can be interpreted by the Superior Judiciary of Pakistan in a hundred different ways  – each one of them to facilitate and reinforce the rich and the powerful, while debilating and victimising the poor and the deprived of Pakistan.

As for the modes, methods and mischief of  third class Pakistani lawyer community, Shareefuddin Pirzada is history,  but please read on about the antics, ethics and exposes of the shining star of this community – no less than the magnificent Indus Man himself!

 Syed Kadri

Sent from Samsung Mobile

——– Original message ——–
From: Naveed Hamdani <[email protected]>
Date:
To:  

 
Aitzaz Hasan once pleaded  in the court  and  his client is a Pir  and Gaddi Nashin  should be treated  differently than ordinary people . I asked  a Lawyer  if it true  , My Lawyer friend sent  this email below
  

Subject: FW: WHEN THE ACC– — USED IS A PIR – STORY OF BILAL KHAR

This might shock you.Read on ………

Good lawyers are often judged by the stances they adopt when they run
out of truth and, at the same time, of legal arguments. Many tend to
fall back on theatrics, histrionics, distortion and even poetry to
make up for the deficiency.

However, Barrister Aitzaz touched new heights of judicial decadence
when he pleaded that his client being a “pir” and a “gaddi nashin”
should be treated differently from ordinary citizens, notwithstanding
the offence. Mercifully, he did not demand that the seven judges come
down from their raised platform to kiss the hands and touch the feet
of the accused even before beginning to hear the first argument.

Coming from someone considered Pakistan’s leading lawyer and a
champion of democracy
, such an undemocratic and dynastic statement

reflects the reality and the nature of politics and society in
Pakistan. It confirms that the change that an average Pakistani is
looking for is not around the bend. Not only that, the voter is
inextricably bound in the chains of the landlord, the “pir,” the
“gaddi nashin,” the sardars, the biradari, of those wielding sectarian
and ethnic influence. But the ruling classes are equally united in
their manipulative devices to sanctify these undemocratic and dynastic
institutions.

Acid-attack victim Fakhra committed suicide by jumping from her
6th-floor apartment in Rome. Ironically, her suicide comes in the wake
of our new legislation against acid-throwing and Chinoy’s
Oscar-winning film Saving Face. Clearly, neither the laws nor Saving
Face could save Fakhra’s face or her life. Our focus lies only in
awards, ceremonies and seminars, and not on putting an end to the
tragedies displayed in the film.

So, somewhere in the bar rooms, another worthy barrister must be
getting ready to defend the rich acid-thrower, Bilal Khar. After all,
Khar, son of Ghulam Mustafa Khar, is a scion of a powerful political
dynasty of the landed “waderas” of Pakistan, and, to go by the above
mentioned legal reasoning, he cannot be equated with those petty
street acid-throwers.

Pakistan is caught in a time warp and the prognosis is not cheerful.
Its poor masses have been kept too backward and uneducated to do
anything for their own betterment and the ruling cartel is too happy
to exploit its monopoly
. The second and third generation of the ruling
elite is being groomed to take over and prove that their elders were
novices in the art of plunder
.

The educated professional class is happy to sit on the sidelines since
it can have all the fun without sharing any responsibility.
When

sufficiently motivated it could even invent excuses which have nothing
to do with jurisprudence, like as to why a “pir” should not be
punished.

So where do we go from here? Is there a political party that is
willing to be the party of ordinary people? One that is willing to
nominate no candidate who is a “sardar,” “wadera,” or “pir,” or whose
claim to fame is his political or “spiritual” lineage?

Pakistanis should not expect reforms from leaders unwilling to reform
themselves or their parties. Those who proceed abroad for medical
treatment (at state expense) in specially chartered airliners are not
likely to spend much time on improving the local hospitals. Likewise,
those whose hands are kissed and feet are touched by the mindless
millions are not likely to exhibit democratic or egalitarian
behaviour.

It is astonishing that the educated elite of Pakistan is always so
ready to defend the cesspool that our politics has become, but not
willing to organise and push for much-needed reforms. These reforms
are urgently needed in the dynastic and political parties collecting
“bhatta” (extortion money), the atrophied Election Commission, the
non-functional educational system and the justice system working at
snail’s space, to name a few.

The parties must declare that henceforth they will not accept
candidates who use titles like “sajjada nashin,” “pir’, “sardar,”
“gaddi nashin” and “wadera,” or those who receive “offerings” and
“nazranas.” Their candidates will not have fake degrees, will not
collect “bhatta,” will not be foreign nationals and will voluntarily
surrender all weapons that they hold.

The Election Commission could learn a lesson or two from its Indian
counterpart. How come civil society accepted the election involving 37
million fake votes? Without batting an eyelid, without demanding
accountability or overhaul of the electoral process?

Clearly, the educated, rich and powerful segments of civil society has
sided with the status quo by refusing to grow out of its
foreign-funded seminar mode. Not protesting to eliminate the root
causes (such as official proliferation of weapons) and hoping to
achieve peace through candlelit vigils is neither rational nor likely
to make an iota of difference to the situation.

Anonymous

 

 

 

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Politics of Hypocrisy and Immature Journalism – By Sajjad Shaukat

                                 

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By Sajjad Shaukat

 

 

 

 

 

Political philosophers of the past indicate that some immoral activities such as deceit, theft, falsehood and even murder are also the principles of politics. Particularly, Machiavelli advises the leaders to have a lion-like image outwardly, and act upon the traits of goat inwardly. In his sense, a good leader should be a good opportunist and hypocrite. Morgenthau supports immoral activities as part of political morality.

 

This duplicity in politics continued for a long time, but in modern era, by bringing contentions of politicians and bloody wars of rulers in our bedrooms, electronic media made it difficult for them to continue the same at the cost of their own people and armed forces. In these terms, modern politics and media are interrelated, as both depend upon each other.

 

Regrettably, quite opposite to the modern trends like fairness in politics, and maturity in journalism, some political figures in the world in general and Pakistan in particular still follow past practice of hypocrisy, while media pursue immature journalism. They forget that politics is a divine field and sanctified arena which inspires people to undertake the sublime responsibility to serve collective cause and larger public interests.

 

Unfortunately, the prevailing political trends and social practices have made the magnificent discipline of politics as an abuse, tirade and misuse of authority to achieve individual or collective goals. In this regard, US Journalist Craig Unger related it with “dog-whistle politics,” as American President George W. Bush and Cal Rove used coded language in political campaigning, delivering one message for overall electorate, while at the same time, communicating quite a different idea to targeted evangelical Christian political base.

 

The pejorative and deceptive nature of political practices in Pakistan have become awfully repugnant and disgustingly distasteful, rendering the general masses handicapped in catching the high frequency whistles which can only be understood by members of the parliament. Thus, making politics incomprehensible and perplexing for the majority which are common citizens.

 

Journalism and politics have close relationship with intertwined compulsions to make the policy guidelines explicit, widespread and all-inclusive. Public approval of broad strategies to meet the national goals is gained through objective media reports and matured practices of journalism.

 

But, it is our misfortune that media and journalistic community stands divided, while politicians are free to level allegations against their opponents, showing egotism and rebuking demeanor, paying least attention to real issues faced by masses.

 

Past experience proves that our political parties and politicians have worked on the principles like allegations and counter-allegations, hostility for the sake of hostility, formation of alliances and counter-alliances to win the elections. Much time is wasted in retaliation against the previous government instead of fulfilling the promises, made with the voters during election campaign. They set aside the real aim of public mandate by resolving the economic and social problems of the masses.

In fact, concentration of wealth in few hands has created a privileged class of landowners and industrialists who contest elections winning the same against each other again and again. During the election campaign, they employ all means, fair or foul to defeat their opponents and capture political power. In order to obtain their selfish interests, they mislead the general masses through false propaganda and exaggerated speeches.

 

Besides, various mal-practices such as horse-trading, nepotism, bribery, illegal obligations and other forms of corruption are very common among our political leaders.

 

However, in a democratic world, politics is played through political parties which are created on definite ideologies and philosophical concepts to work for the betterment of general public. Political parties constitute the platforms where people pin hopes to achieve their goals and look forward to realize their aspirations.

 

While, switching parties is considered a bad sign, and politicians in most democratic countries are labeled as disloyal and selfish, lacking commitment. Generally, their political careers end, while they are associated with untrustworthiness and elusive self-indulgence.

 

Contrarily, in Pakistan, changing sides to gain advantage has become a standard practice of political norms. Political persons change political sides to gain power, popularity and prestige. Political ideology is dominated by patronage and kinship, resulting into public repression, victimization, selective application of rules and jaundiced polity coupled with social injustice and rampant corruption.

 

The so-called political heavy weights change sides, feel no shame in becoming disloyal to their political ideologies, and in tarnishing the image of Armed Forces.

 

These heavy weight politicians in Pakistan are opportunist feudal lords who are filthy rich, highly influential and powerful. They consider politics as their business and tend to invest with political parties from where they can earn better profit. Hence, they quickly join the popular parties to maximize their chances of getting elected. In this context, names of the politicians like Javed Hashmi, Marvi Memonm, Arbab Khizer Hayat Khan, Nabeel Gabol, Zahid Hamid, Hussain Haqqani etc. might be cited as example.

 

Media reports suggest that Khawaja Saad Rafique, the energetic and outspoken Railway Minister of PML (N) was all set to join PTI led by Imran Khan, as he was fired as General Secretary PML (N) Punjab by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. And, Haroon Rasheed a senior, credible and matured journalist in his Urdu article “BUHRAN KE BAAD” revealed that Khawaja Saad Rafique fiercely reacted to Nawaz Sharif’s decision, chewed his teeth in rage, wrote letters, showed annoyance and frustration. He also approached PTI leadership to join PTI as Secretary General. He was not much encouraged by PTI leadership, and was told to take carefully measured decision in changing political loyalties. Today, he presents different posture to prove his loyalty with PML (N). In this respect, our, media must offer objective analysis to uncover the facts.

 

The Trojan Horse: It is notable that people also whisper around that PML (N) Punjab led by Saad Rafique, sent Javed Hashmi as PML (N) sponsored Trojan Horse to join PTI. Javed Hashmi’s allegations against PTI leadership are one thing, but dragging Pak Army into political impasse is another issue. His grievances against his own political leadership (PTI) may be critical, but it should not be done at the cost of distorting the image of Army. In this regard, hypocrisy appears to have become the hallmark of Pakistani politics.

 

It is mentionable that in the recently held joint session of the parliament, ferocious debate between Chaudhary Aitzaz Ehsan of PPP and Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan (PML-N), Federal Interior Minister made noise for general public, but message given to the parliament was in coded language, creating space for corrupt practices and making compromises on gross violations of law with regard to LPG quota, land mafia turbulence, and use of PATWARI culture for self- promotion. Similarly Khurshid Shah’s (opposition leader) speech in the joint session of parliament is perceived to have given different message to the ruling party PML (N)—go tough on the sit-ins protestors at Islamabad, while at the same time, he encouraged some PPP leaders to support the stand of PTI led by Imran Khan and that of PAT led by Dr. Tahirul Qadri.

 

And, in wake of the ongoing political turmoil and sit-ins at Islamabad, our media stands divided and journalists behave immaturely. Some take sides of the protestors, and others support the ruling elite. In this context, distorted media analysis, biased opinions, created sensationalism and confused perceptions, while making negative comments about Armed Forces—have become traits of Pakistan’s media.

 

At this juncture, Pakistan’s Armed Forces are successfully obtaining their objectives in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) against the terrorists through military operation Zarb-e-Azb, and are engaged in flood relief operations. Besides, Pak Army has also been coping with subversive activities in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and other parts of the country including tribal areas in wake of India’s war-like diplomacy and cross-border infiltration from Afghanistan’s side.

 

So, parliamentarians and politicians must not distort the image of Army, while media must also resort to objective reporting, enhancing the image of Armed Forces.

 

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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